I'm new to the forum and in the market for a new machine to use on our 2+ acre residential property. I'm mainly looking at high-end residential and low-end commercial ZT's. Since there are so many nice mowers on the market, trying to identify the best choices can be a time-consuming task. To simplify the process, I developed an informal quantitative system for rating certain models based on various criteria including - price, engine, deck type / gauge, drive train, spindle type / size, tire size, speed and warranty. Since each of these criteria are not equally important, I assigned each one a "weighting factor" ranging from 1-to-5. For example, I assigned a factor of "5" to the manufacturer's warranty and a factor of "1" to speed (I'm retired, so I have plenty of time to get the job done). In addition, each criteria is also rated as either below average (1 point), average (2 points) or above average (3 points) depending on how each model's particular spec compares to that of the other competing models. For example, if the machine's warranty is above average compared to the others, it received a score of "15" (5 times 3) for the warranty criteria ... if the machine's top-end speed was below average it would receive a score of "1" (1 times 1) for the speed criteria. Once a score was calculated for each criteria, the individual scores were totaled to arrive at an overall score for each model included in my analysis. The overall scores were then compared and used to rate each model.
Here are the models that I included in the analysis, their ranking, overall score and quoted price.
#1 - Snapper Pro S150xt 52" 24hp Kawi (final score = 67, quoted price = $5800)
#1 (tie) - Husqvarna M-ZT 61" 30hp B&S (final score = 67, quoted price = $5000)
#3 - Grasshopper 124V 48" 24hp B&S (final score = 66, quoted price = $5600)
#3 (tie) - Simplicity Champion XT 52" 27hp B&S (final score = 66, quoted price = $5500)
#5 - Ferris IS600z 48" 27hp B&S (final score = 64, quoted price = $5500)
#5 (tie) - Gravely ZT-HD 60" 24hp Kawi (final score = 64, quoted price = $5200)
#7 - Exmark Pioneer E 48" 24hp Kawi (final score = 62, quoted price = $5400)
#8 - Toro Titan MX6080 60" 24hp Kawi (final score = 60, quoted price = $5800)
#9 - Hustler Fastrak 54" 24hp Kawi (final score = 56, quoted price = $5200)
#9 (tie) - Kubota ZG127S 54" 27hp B&S (final score = 56, quoted price = $5500)
#11 - Land Pride Z-Razor 54" 23hp Kawi (final score = 50, quoted price = $5800 )
#12 - Bobcat Fastcat RZ 52" 22hp Kawi (final score = 48, quoted price = $5600)
As you can see, the prices (not including sales tax) that I was quoted for 9 of the 12 machines fall into a fairly tight range ($5400 - $5800) with only a few outliers (Husqvarna, Gravely and Hustler). However, there was some variance in the scores using my rating system which, admittedly, is not all-inclusive and certainly far from perfect. That said, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts and observations regarding the rankings that I arrived at for the models shown. I'd also be interested in which model(s) you would recommend me to buy.
Thanks ........... Pete
